info needed on typical attorney fees for custody & divorce

[grasswire]

A mom I know, a single parent who has been separated from hubby for three years has no formal agreement for child support for their two sub-teen children. Now the dad is slipping in the amount of child support he's been sending and often sending it late, despite the fact that he has a really, really good job, making twice what the mom makes.

So she needs to 1) get a temporary order putting custody arrangements and child support in legal form, and then 2) work toward getting a divorce.

Complication? They live in different states -- he moved back to California, she lives in Oregon with the children and has all the responsibility for care and welfare.

Question: what sort of upfront money will she likely need to pay an attorney to secure a temporary agreement?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[loveable liberal]

1. start with a 'free' one through your states attorney generals office

I dont like lawyers. Mine took me for a ride.

[grasswire]

2. yeah, I know the problem

I suspect the fact that he is in a different state makes things more complicated.

[miss_kitty]

3. the best thing she can do is shop around

In all the states, and among all attys fees vary. Surely, she must know other people who have gotten divorced and had problems with creeps who decide they won't be supporting the fruit of their loins anymore.

Something about California-they are KILLER on deadbeat dads-she may want to get a decision in a California court, because they'll garnish his wage packet, problem solved. Oregon might be just as hard assed (I had a friend living in Cali and the ex lived here in WA and Cali kicked his cheap mofoin' ass.)
She can look in Findlaw:

http://news.findlaw.com/

It is a site where she can plug in her zip and the area of expertise needed (family law, child support, divorce), but a woman's center, or some place where a lot of divorced women congregate where she can get referrals-because like cost, skill varies greatly among lawyers too.

[sandnsea]

4. Start here

I think support is just a given, it's processed paperwork. Formula and everything. Does she have a wage statement at all? That would help. From there, I think it's pretty automated these days. They should help her file whatever legal forms she needs as well. And Oregon is very tough on child support, although they don't lock people up.

http://dcs.state.or.us/

[grasswire]

5. thanks for the links, DU-ers

It's a start.